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Summary
Summary
In the second novel in Joanna Shupe's the Uptown Girl series, a ruthless casino owner bent on revenge finds his plans upended by a beautiful woman who proves to be more determined than he is--and too irresistible to deny.
Powerful casino owner.
Ruthless mastermind.
Destroyer of men.
He lives in the shadows . . .
As the owner of the city's most exclusive casino, Clayton Madden holds the fortunes of prominent families in the palms of his hands every night. There is one particular family he burns to ruin, however, one that has escaped his grasp . . . until now.
She is society's darling . . .
Florence Greene is no one's fool. She knows Clayton Madden is using her to ruin her prestigious family . . . and she's using him right back. She plans to learn all she can from the mysterious casino owner--then open a casino of her own just for women.
With revenge on his mind, Clay agrees to mentor Florence. However, she soon proves more adept--and more alluring--than Clay bargained for. When his plans are threatened, Clay must decide if he is willing to gamble his empire on love.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
A powerful casino owner gambles with his emotions when he gets involved with the feisty daughter of his nemesis in the steamy second romance in Shupe's Uptown Girls series (after The Rogue of Fifth Avenue). Highborn, free-thinking Florence Greene dreams of opening a casino for women. She turns to rugged, self-made Clayton Madden for assistance. Clayton, a prominent member of New York City's underworld, agrees to educate Florence on the nuances of casino operations, secretly hoping to use her in his ongoing quest for revenge against her father, Duncan Greene, whom he blames for the destruction of his family. As Madden struggles to remain emotionally detached from the tenacious beauty, formidable heroine Florence attempts to balance her own attraction to Madden with her desire to be independent. Shupe masterfully captures the culture of New York City in the 1890s. Madden is a well-developed hero whose deep friendships with right-hand man Bald Jack and brothel owner Annabelle Gallagher reveal a gentle nature beneath his hardened exterior. Witty repartee, lush sensuality, and a fast-paced plot are sure to delight readers. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary. (Jan.)
Kirkus Review
A wild and bold uptown girl meets her match in a brooding casino owner bent on revenge against her family in this Gilded Age romance.The Bronze House is the most famous and exclusive casino in fin de sicle New York City, attracting the social elite to its tables while enriching its powerful, enigmatic owner, Clayton Madden. Clayton rose from poverty up through the criminal underworld to amass his fortune, and he uses manipulation and physical violence to maintain it. Clayton is driven by revenge: He plans to ruin Duncan Greene, the wealthy builder who razed his childhood home to build a factory. Complicating this plan is the arrival of uptown debutante Florence Greene to the Bronze House. Florence is bored by society life and views marriage as a gilded cage. Inspired by playing euchre in her grandmother's parlors, she dreams of opening an elegant casino for women but needs tutelage in business and gaming. Cold and unfeeling Clay is unexpectedly taken with Florence's beauty, skill at gambling, and determination. Shupe (The Rogue of Fifth Avenue, 2019, etc.) dispenses with contrived conflict by having Clay inform Florence of his revenge plot and of his intention to seduce her if she will have him: "Your smile could electrify every street in the city." Drawn to Clay's intelligence, brute strength, and rugged good looks, Florence hopes to deter him from the revenge plan, if not the seduction. The plot gallops delightfully through the brothels, casinos, fancy restaurants, and elegant salons of New York. As Clay and Florence grow closer, in part via sex scenes as blistering hot as they are inventive, in part via witty banter and genuine friendship, it becomes harder to separate their relationship from his need for revenge, and they must both rethink their loyalties and goals.An absolute ace, guaranteed to thrill fans of great gambling-house romances by Sarah MacLean and Lisa Kleypas. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
Clayton Madden, merciless owner of New York's elite Bronze House casino, is tired of high-born Florence Duncan entering his male-only establishment and distracting his clientele from otherwise wagering their fortunes. It doesn't help that he's sought revenge on her father, Duncan Greene, for decades. Florence, who has never cared for society's rules, is determined to learn everything she can about gambling in order to one day run her own casino. Convinced that teaching her the trade will result in her ruin, and in turn destroy her father, Clay becomes her mentor, only to find that her business intelligence and skills rival his own, not to mention that her brazen mouth is absolutely irresistible. As his plan comes to fruition, Florence's heart and trust are broken, but having risked and lost the ultimate hand, Clay is forced to reexamine his own ideas of happiness. VERDICT Shupe (A Scandalous Deal) continues her lusciously detailed Gilded Age-set series with a dynamic duo determined to get what they want at any cost. Sensual and passionate and with an unconventional, intriguing story line, this second in the series (after The Rogue of Fifth Avenue) is one readers will clamor for.--Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati Blue Ash
